My Game Plan to Double New Members This Year
Jon Olson asked what my New Year’s Resolution was for StartXchange, one of my replies was to double the number of new members joining. Currently we average 60 per day, I want it 120! This is my game plan:
- Make New Splash Pages – This is my downfall, and I’m sure many of us have the same problem. But I forget to make fresh pages and rotate the older pages. I even had Justin Ledvina design me new pages, but just haven’t used them yet. My goal is to make one new page every week, making it the primary page and rotating a couple older ones, and then phasing them out. (and re-introducing the really good performers again in the future when they are “new” again)
- Bigger Member Incentives – I’m going to increase the incentives to promote StartXchange. Many owners, myself included, will say it’s up to the owner to promote the exchange. But there are many members that are referring people as well, so if I up the reward for them they’ll be more likely to do so.
- Give Other Owners Incentives – There are many traffic exchanges online, and so I’m going to give incentives for those owners to also promote StartXchange. Some are already doing it, while others just need that extra bonus to do it.
- Promote, Promote, Promote – And last but not least, I’ll be doing lots more promoting. I’ve slacked off this past month doing more programming than marketing. I need to remember that the time spent on marketing StartXchange is worth it as well, instead of just doing the programing.
So there you have it. By the way, if you are an exchange owner please feel free to comment to this post with your StartXchange username and exchange URL entered into the proper fields and post a comment. I’m trying to get a list together but my mind is terrible for remembering usernames. LOL last I checked I had 8 usernames written down, 4 are SuperSurf so chances are I don’t have it.
(22) Comments :: Traffic Exchanges :: Permalink
Happy New Year Tim! Very interesting resolution. I hope you’ll be writing about your progress.
I think that you can use your blog even more as a way of marketing StartXchange, especially to people not familiar with traffic exchanges.
What I personally would have preferred, was a short report about why a blogger should use traffic exchanges to promote his blog, and how he should do it. Target bloggers.
… and get me to rediscover traffic exchanges in 2009 :-)
Jens P. Bergets lastest blog post..How To Find The Best Keywords For Your Blogs
well thanks for the suggestion ;-)
AWESOME!! A lot of our members (way too few :-( ) came from Startxchange to begin with. Thank you to all of them!! I would be happy to help though. Keep us posted!!
Great goal for the new year Tim. If we do not know where we are going how do we know when we get there.
I have a question for you. Can you keep us posted of how it goes? What is working and what isn’t?
We always need fresh ideas to help our businesses grow but it always encouraging to see other people reach their goals.
Thanks
Bo Tipton
The Ornery Marketer
Bo Tiptons lastest blog post..The Number One Reason That People Fail On The Internet
Of course!
Happy New Year
Tim & all who read these pages.
I for 1 welcome New Splash pages, as I have not mastered that particular art yet.
also welcome larger member incentives.
If one can only afford to advertise fot 1-2 TE’s then we must choose between our 80-120
TE s. some times that can be a very hard process, as many of them are a little above average, but I believe SX to be among the handful that stand out from the crowd. That said I am looking forward to a variety of new splash pages to be auto rotated for me in SX.
Again Thanks 4 a great TE
Dave
Great blog post Tim. Happy New Year and thanks for a great site you have!
Gary Bacchetti
The Gentle Mentor
Tim.
I for one like to keep up on your blog.
I am a member of Start Exchange but not active right now.
I do have a question:
I have started a safelist and have tried advertising on StartExchange and several others and see very little results (members Joining) from exchanges.
Was wondering if you have any idea as to why? Is it possibly that people that use traffic exchanges use them as primary advertising and do not use safelist? If this is so Why?
Credit Based safelist advertising is very effective! I see Traffic Exchanges advertised on safelist.
Also it seems like Text Ad Exchanges pull members for me very well. Wondering if Safelist and Text Ad Exchanges go together, then what goes together with Traffic Exchanges?
Any ideas?
Lee Stevenson
http://www.palsmarketingsafelist.com
Lee
Not sure the exact reasons. It could be the ad you are using. I would try making a lead capture page that points out how effective both Safelists and Traffic Exchanges are, and then setup an auto responder series that teaches them how to use safelists, and of course tells them about your safelist every time.
There are many people (myself included) who just don’t use safelists because they haven’t gotten good at it yet. I’ve dipped my feet a few times, but that’s about it ;-)
Tim
Good luck with all your new year resolutions – sound wonderful – but many people do not realize the behind the scene that an owner does – Thanks for your hard work and would love new splash pages.
Best wishes for 2009 to you, Tim, and all readers of your blog.
I was intrigued by your item “Bigger Member Incentives”. I have just cut these incentives at Hit Bandit simply because I could not cope with the massive influx of new members (at one point over 500 per day!). It seems to be very hard to get the incentive level right!
I’ll be watching very carefully to see how you do it – maybe I can learn something!
Regards,
John Davies
Thanks Tim!
My traffic exchange – Mermaids Magic – just launched this morning. I am very excited about it, and Start Exchange is one of the sites I am promoting on it.
Appreciate all the good info.
Thanks,
Carole
Thanks again, Tim, for keeping us informed.
Brad Pollinas lastest blog post..Tonight I’m being paid $50 to …
Tim,
Is there a place just anyone can make a splash page? Do u know anywhere good and easy? Thank u for having such a wonderful site. Ur the best!!
Foz
Sounds like you have a pretty solid game plan there. I am taking notes. :0) If that’s ok with you, that is. I have learned a lot from your blog, Tim and will always come back for more.
Thanks and Happy 2009.
Jonathan
Best blog post Tim. Happy New Year and thanks for a great site you have!
Thank for the info from your blog, great blog you have, i am learning from you.
Best regards
Marydomen
Hi Tim. I like your goals – they’re big and so they should be -aim for the moon and hit the mountain top – it’s a cliche but it’s true.
All the best for the New Year and thanks for the blog, I spent most of yesterday readng through it – awesome job.
Hey Tim,
That is one awesome game plan that I will be sure to be all over and a part of. What you do at startxchange and your programing abilities really sticks your exchange out above all the rest.
Happy New Year!
Sounds like a good plan Tim! I particularly agree with incentives to refer more people, I think that will help you hit your goal immensely.
Solomon Hueys lastest blog post..My New Hair and Why It Matters to You?
Hi Tim and Happy New Year to you.
That is a great goal. A mission without a goal usually ends up in failure.
I will be opening HitsImpossible.com hopefully Monday the 12th. I will be advertising it in StartExchange as well.
To your success,
Ken
Hi Tim – informative post as usual.
by utilizing your traffic exghange consultancy service, and studying everything here in your blog, my exchange – Traffic Showdown is coming along in leaps and bounds!
I have had new splash pages done and am having a cash referral comp as an incentive for my members to help me promote.
I agree its up to me to promote my exchange and I have hit it real hard.
I am very happy with the results so far.
Aside from promo pages on over 20 TE’s, I also use over 20 safelists and 15 ad exchanges to get the word out – its obviously working.
Always looking for a bonus – what do you have in mind for other TE owners?
Of course SX is being promoted at Traffic Showdown already, but whats your plan there?
Love to know??????
Take care and Happy New Year!
Thanks for your help and advice – its invaluable!
Kym